National

Lamb price down, but not weak

While lamb prices are starting the new season at around 16% below last year’s levels, they are not outright weak, according to the BNZ.

The little dairy co-op that can

Waikato milk processor Tatua posted record revenues of $381 million last financial year.

Quota split a major worry

New Zealand meat exporters want the EU and UK to get serious on reaching a deal on post-Brexit quotas.

NZ meat exports at risk

Nearly half of our country’s meat exports are at risk unless there is urgent action by government to allow migrant workers to stay in New Zealand.

Miraka farmers understanding of lower payout

Miraka, the Māori-owned dairy company near Taupo, believes its farmer suppliers are relatively happy about a possible lower payout this season.

Burning hope for change

Federated Farmers is hoping for changes to the Department of Conservation's (DoC) high country grazing rules in the aftermath of two recent big wildfires in the Mackenzie Basin.

Council admits its failures

The Fonterra Shareholders Council admits that it’s failing to achieve the trust and respect of its farmers.

Seasonal worker facility opened

A new state of the art accommodation facility for RSE or temporary overseas workers at a large Māori kiwifruit orchard in the Bay of Plenty has been opened by the Minister of Māori Development, Nanaia Mahuta.

Vege crops at risk of rotting

Fruit and vegetable growers are warning their produce will be left unpicked and rotting in the fields unless the Government approves urgent visas for overseas workers.

Another Fonterra shareholder revolt in the offing

A group of Fonterra shareholders are having another go at next month’s annual meeting to force a revamp of the troubled Shareholders Council.

Sheep and beef farms carbon neutral

New research shows that New Zealand sheep and beef farms are already offsetting the majority of their agricultural emissions.

Parker refuses to bend

Southland Federated Farmers vice president Bernadette Hunt says she finds it “interesting” that Environment Minister David Parker continues to downplay the feedback on the Government’s freshwater regulations.

Payout lifts

The forecast milk payout for this season has gone up by 40c and Fonterra farmers can thank Chinese consumers.

Vanessa Winning is new Irrigation NZ CEO

Irrigation New Zealand has appointed former DairyNZ manager Vanessa Winning as its new chief executive.

Shareholders Council review - final report out

Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman James Barron says the council supports the recommendations of a review into its role and functions.

Allied Farmers in new land venture

Allied Farmers is forking out $2.5 million for a new scheme under which rural land will be bought and then leased to successful farm operators.

Farmers fined for NAIT breaches

Two farmers have been fined for failing to register animals under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme.

The calvary arrives — finally!

The first batch of overseas drivers for local agricultural contracting work is expected in the country next week, says Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) chief executive Roger Parton.

Events roll out to support Otago and Southland farmers

Rural groups are banding together to support farmers dealing with challenging weather conditions in Otago and Southland.

Hort’s priorities for a newly-elected government

The biggest challenge facing horticulture is labour and we will – as a collective sector – ask the new government to focus attention in this area.

Water regs wash away farmer confidence

Government policies and the ongoing fallout from Covid-19 are being blamed for a continuing drop in farmer confidence.

Alliance faces court over subsidy

Self-proclaimed ‘political operative’ Simon Lusk is taking the Alliance Group to court in a bid to force the meat company to pay back the wage subsidy it claimed during the Covid lockdown earlier in the year.